If you keep your scooter in good condition and make sure it has enough battery power for your journey, then your journey should be problem free. However, breakdowns do happen and you need to be prepared in the event that it happens to you.

Hints and tips to help you should you breakdown whilst out on your scooter.

• Most importantly – Keep Calm

Where have you broken down?

• If your scooter has broken down in a place that could be a hazard to other road users and you can’t move the scooter: get yourself out of the way if possibble and call the police (or ask a passer by to call them). Tell them what has happened and exactly where you are.
• If your scooter won’t start or you are in a safe place, there are a number of things you can do.

Mobile phones

• If you have a mobile phone and can make calls or send text messages; then this becomes the obvious way to get help. Make sure you have friends and family’s numbers stored in your phone. Call someone and ask them to come and help you.
• If you have trouble communicating, have a message written down on a piece of paper. Keep the piece of paper with you at all times. In the event of a breakdown, you can show the paper to someone, a shop worker for example. The message could read something like: I have trouble talking. I have a mobility scooter that has broken down. I need help. Please could you ring [put the name and number in here] Thank you

Let someone know where you are going.

• If you live with someone, let them know where you are going and how long you expect to be. If you don’t have a mobile phone they will know where to find you, and when to look for you.
• A mobile phone is a good way of letting them know if you are delayed whilst out on your scooter.

Recovery Service

• Most recovery service companies offer recovery services for mobility scooters. There are also specialist recovery services, designed to ‘rescue’ mobility scooter users. Shop around and check the policy details for what is covered and what is not.
• Most policies have a maximum number of call outs that you can make in each 12 month period. After this they will not come and help you and you will not get any refund of your policy fee.

Let’s face it; most people you meet when you are out on your scooter are fantastic and helpful. I was really pleased about this. I was nervous when I first used my scooter. I think most people are. I used to be a car driver and to be honest I didn’t have much time for scooter users. Having said that I didn’t have much time for anyone who drove slower than me. I’m a much nicer person now.

Back to using my scooter… In the main, pedestrians move out of your way. Kids are polite and go out of THEIR way to not get in YOUR way. People you talk to are interested in you – and with the scooter I am sitting down so am able to stop and talk for as long as I want. Most of the time trips on my scooter are like this. I have my freedom and independence and I love it.

However there can be a darker side.

Now and again someone isn’t so helpful. Now and again someone isn’t looking where they are going. Now and again a driver will get really frustrated with the fact that you go SLOW on a mobility scooter and the fastest I can go is 8 miles per hour!

This doesn’t happen often. I don’t want you to think that this is what life is like when you start to use a scooter. I think the way I deal with it is a really good way.

• If I can – I ignore it!
• If something is my fault – I immediately apologise.
• I never raise my voice or get angry.

This has several advantages:

• If you don’t get upset by someone else’s behaviour, then it is better for YOUR health. You just shrug it off and get on with your day.
• The situation just ends, and doesn’t escalate into a shouting match.

Now and again an accident will happen.

My advice is:

• Keep calm
• Keep cool
• Assess the situation.

When the internet started in the mid 1990’s so did ecommerce and the phrase shopping online came to be. In the beginning people were scared of entering in their personal details online and rightfully so!

Now buying online is the safest method of shopping for elderly and disabled people. You can make a purchase in the safety of your own home without the need for leaving your house. Which is a benefit for anybody like myself with a disability.

In fact I do the majority of my shopping online, including the weekly groceries. I even buy all my Christmas presents online, safe in the knowledge that they will arrive in time and I do not need to go out to busy shops. Although I do like to go out on my mobility scooter when it is not raining.

Here are the benefits in shopping online with Scooters UK

• It is safe and secure. We use the strongest level of online secuity there is
• You can browse through all scooter brochures online
• No need to carry money, cards or a cheque book around
• You do not need to go to multiple shops
• Everying we sell comes with a full manufacturers warranty
• Personal service, even though you are buying online you can speak to somebody
• You can track your order online and know exactly when it is being delivered
• The prices online are often cheaper than in shops and you save money.

More and more people are shopping online. The BBC reported today that people in the UK spend an average of 22 hours per week online and I am not surprised when you can have all the information at your finger tips. On this website there are  helpful guides to buying online and even if you prefer you can speak to somebody who will be able to help and assist you.

With users of mobility products being less mobile, it makes perfect sense to have good websites that sell these products online. You don’t need to traipse around the shops looking for what you need. You can browse at your leisure and in the comfort of your own home. You can even view brochures of each model without the need to carry them around.

There are many advantages to buying a mobility scooter online, here are some guidelines and tips:

Product description

Check that all the details that you need to know are there. Here at Scooters UK we provide every ounce of information we have about each scooter online,  details are  important so we make sure we display all the details we have in an accessibble format to meet the needs of disabled and elderly people.

Scooter details include:

• colour
• size
• weight
• manufacturer

Photos

Photos of the product are invaluable when shopping online. They help you decide that the product is right for you and exactly what you are looking for. Sometimes a website will show more than one image of a product which is even more useful

Videos

Always look at a video of the product if one is available. These can show a product being used, and really show you the size of a product or how easy they are to use.

VAT

Disabled people don’t pay VAT when they purchase a mobility scooter. Not all mobility equipment and aids are exempt from VAT though. The website clearly states whether a product has to include VAT or you can qualify to not pay the VAT on the item.

What is the cost of post and packing?

We do not charge post and packing or delivery charges for Mobility scooters.  Delivery is free to anywhere in the United Kingdom. We also offer order tracking so you can monitor the delivery status and ensure you are at home when the new mobility scooter is being delivered.

Security

When making you purchase, you can make sure that the website you are using is safe and secure. Look at the bar at the top, where is has http://www. then the name of the website. On the page where you enter your bank card details, thischanges from http://www. to https://www. The ‘S’ stands for secure. You can also look at the bottom right of the screen, and a little padlock will appear. This also can indicate that the page is secure.

Returning goods

There are special rules for returning goods that you have bought online. These have been designed as unlike in a shop, you buy a product online without actually seeing it in person.

You can always return a product that you have bought online, and be refunded for the cost of the item. However, if the product has been customized or personalised in any way it is then exempt from being able to return it – unless it is faulty or damaged when you receive it.

Remember to always check items carefully when you receive them. For example damaged packing could indicate the parcel has been damaged.

We are happy to help you make your purchase and if you feel happy dealing ith somebody over the phone then please call us for an informal chat and we will do all we can to help you.